Techno Finance and Executive Diary...

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Ten Questions With Donald Trump

Ten Questions With Donald Trump

Donald J. Trump is a graduate of the Wharton School of Finance and started his business career in an office he shared with his father. In August of 2006, Mr. Trump was voted by BusinessWeek magazine as “the world’s most competitive businessperson.”

In New York City, the Trump signature is synonymous with the most prestigious of addresses, among them the world-renowned Fifth Avenue skyscraper, Trump Tower, the Trump International Hotel & Tower, voted the best U.S. Hotel by Conde Nast Traveler, Trump World Tower at the United Nations Plaza, 40 Wall Street, and Trump Park Avenue.

In a departure from his real estate acquisitions, Mr. Trump and the NBC Television Network are partners in the ownership and broadcast rights for the three largest beauty competitions in the world: the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA Pageants. He is also the star and executive producer of the hit television series, “The Apprentice,” which has received national and worldwide attention. In the summer of 2004, his radio program on Clear Channel made its debut and broke all syndication records.

Mr. Trump has authored seven books, all of which became bestsellers. Trump Magazine was launched in 2004, Trump University Online in 2005, and the Donald J. Trump licensing program. In 2006, GoTrump.com, an online travel agency, made its debut, as did Trump Productions in Los Angeles.

1. Question: If you, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Herb Kelleher and Larry Ellison got marooned on a desert island, who would end up running the place and who would end up as dinner?
Answer: We would find a way to order in and have a productive meeting at the same time.

2. Question: How long would Larry and Sergei, the co-founders of Google, last on your show?
Answer: That would depend on whether they were good team players and if they had an original idea or two.

3. Question: Would you fire your son or daughter?
Answer: Yes, if they deserved it, but fortunately they are well prepared for their positions, so I doubt they would ever merit being fired.

4. Question: What do you do to chill out?
Answer: Playing golf provides me with my version of chilling out, plus I develop golf courses, so it’s a productive way to spend my chill time.

5. Question: At the end of our life, what do you want to be remembered for?
Answer: As a builder who has enhanced the cities and communities where I have built and/or developed.

6. Question: What’s the difference between the Donald Trump on “The Apprentice” and the Donald Trump in every day business meetings?
Answer: Business meetings are more about negotiation skills whereas “The Apprentice” falls into the job interview or audition category. I have business meetings with people who are looking to do business, not people who are looking for a job. My attitude on “The Apprentice” is as an employer looking at possible future employees. I don’t look to mold any of my business associates.

7. Question: If you could apprentice with anyone in history, who would it be?
Answer: My father was a great mentor. He’d be hard to replace.

8. Question: Not many people make billions, lose billions, and then make billions all over again. How did you pull this off?
Answer: To me it was a blip, not a catastrophe. I knew I was destined to succeed, and I kept focused on that belief. I’m very tenacious...and I don’t give up.

9. Question: If you graduated from Wharton in 2006 instead of in the 1960s, what industry would you go into?
Answer: Real estate. I love it and it still exists as a career and as a viable passion.

10. Question: What do you think of two guys in a garage showing amateur videos selling out for $1.7 billion?
Answer: I’d say they had a great idea—my hat’s off to them.

11. Question: TV is TV, real life is real life: What’s the most important real-life advice you can give to an entrepreneur?
Answer: You have to love what you do. Without passion, great success is hard to come by. An entrepreneur will have tough times if he or she isn’t passionate about what they’re doing. People who love what they’re doing don’t give up. It’s never even a consideration. It’s a pretty simple formula.

Labels: motivation, stories

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